Custom Designing Artwork
By Elena Parashko
Finding a ready made work of art that is perfect for you and your home can be like searching for a needle in a haystack. The solution is to commission an artist to create exactly what you want. This is a very exciting and enjoyable way to become involved in the creative process, inject your own personal meaning into the artwork and thereby take some ownership of the end result. It can be a highly satisfying opportunity to have a painting custom designed to suit your precise requirements. But there are some issues to consider ensuring success.
Firstly, how do you choose the right artist to custom design your artwork? Word of mouth is always an excellent referral system, but if this is not available, then research artists who accept commissioned work. The internet is a great resource for accessing online galleries so you can select artists whose style you like. Even when an artist paints different subject matter, their unique style will shine through. Ask yourself whether you prefer the work of artists with an abstract approach or a more realistic style, loose brushwork or fine detail, the use of bright colours or more neutral tones.
Many artists’ websites feature testimonials from previous clients. This is a good source of information as to whether the artist was easy to work with, kept the client informed of progress, produced the desired results and met budget and time constraints. If this information is not readily available on their website, then do not be afraid to contact the artist and ask to view testimonials or even speak with a previous client. This is a good way to also verify testimonials if you doubt their authenticity. If an artist has established good business relationships with past clients, then they are usually more than happy to act as a referee for the artist.
So after you have chosen an artist, what do you ask them to paint? You may already have a very specific idea in mind or even reference material for a painting, such as a photo. Or you may only have a vague notion of what you would like. It does not really matter where you are starting from, the fun part of commissioning artwork is to be part of the evolution of an initial idea through the exploration of infinite possibilities until a meaningful work of art is developed.
For this process to be successful, it is vital to establish effective and honest communication between yourself and the artist. You need to be able to communicate your needs by providing as much specific information as possible such as the purpose of the artwork, the mood you want it to convey, preferred subject matter, predominant colour and style, size and format, the materials to be used, where the painting will be hung, size of that wall space, colour scheme of the room, style of existing décor etc. The artist should ask these types of questions in order evaluate your needs and get a picture in their mind as to the likely end result. They will provide recommendations and suggestions based on their experience and guide you if you are uncertain. Then in order to check that the image in the artist’s mind closely matches the image in the client’s mind, the artist will often produce a sketch or quick sample painting. Putting the proposed artwork down on paper is an effective way to verify that both parties are thinking along the same lines. This is when any changes or refining of the image can easily be made and confirmed.
I once had a client who had fond childhood memories of calla lilies. He had no idea about any other details for the painting, but felt that when he saw what he wanted, he would know. After researching these flowers, I put together a few sketches of various arrangements of calla lilies in different formats – single stems, in bunches, close up, from a distance, in a vase, in a field, on a square canvas, portrait orientation and landscape orientation. Sure enough, one of the sketches caught his eye and he immediately knew that was “the one”.
The final decision about details of the proposed artwork rests with you as the client. However, it is wise to listen to the advice of the artist. Some clients have very specific requests about what they want featured in a painting but the artist may foresee that some things may clash or just not work. Again it is a matter of communicating and negotiating to ensure a successful finished product that works as a painting and also meets the needs of the client.
Copyright may be an issue to consider when commissioning artwork. Usually the artist who creates the artwork retains copyright of the image even after the work is sold (except with portraits where the sitter retains copyright). So that means if you commission an artist to produce a painting you cannot then go and print that image, on say greeting cards, without coming to a separate financial arrangement with the artist. It gets a bit more complicated when a client takes a photo and then asks an artist to paint it. The client owns copyright over the photo but the artist has been granted permission to use it in the artwork. And it is the artist who retains copyright on the painting. If the client finds a picture in a magazine or a calendar and wants to use it as the basis for a painting, be aware that the original photographer probably owns copyright on that image and permission will need to be granted from them if an artwork is to be created from that photo. The photographer may not grant permission, or if they do, they have a right to charge a fee. Rather than work from someone else’s image, often it is easier and more rewarding to explore what it is about that photo that is inspiring and then together create something unique based on that concept. It could just be the colour, movement or feeling conveyed in a photo that can be used as a springboard to generate new ideas in a totally different direction.
An important consideration in commissioning artwork is cost. Some artists charge slightly more for commissions than other paintings in their collection due to the extra time involved in negotiating with clients and producing preliminary sketches. It is vital to ask for a quote before the painting is started to be clear about how and when the artist prefers to be paid. Some artists ask for a deposit once an agreement is reached to cover the cost of materials, others require payment upon completion, whereas others may offer an instalment plan depending on the size of the project. Again communication of expectations by both parties is essential to avoid any misunderstanding.
Decide whether framing is to be included in your commission as this will have a bearing on the quote. If you have very specific ideas about selecting a style of frame to match existing dĂ©cor, then it may be easier to have the artwork framed yourself after its purchase. Alternatively, you may prefer to have the artist make a selection based on which frame profile best suits the artwork so it is immediately ready to hang. Â
The quote should also stipulate delivery arrangements. Will the client pick up the artwork from the artist or will the artist arrange delivery of the work, and if so, what is the cost involved?
The artist should also be able to give an estimated time for completion of the artwork. This will depend on the artist’s current work commitments and how labour intensive the commissioned piece is. If there is a specific time constraint on the part of the client, such as if the painting will be a gift for a special occasion or is to coincide with an opening of a new business, then that request needs to be discussed early on. Even though the actual painting process cannot be rushed if quality is to be maintained, artists usually understand the importance of meeting reasonable deadlines.
After this process of negotiating, liaising and then creating; the most exciting part is the unveiling of the completed artwork. This is a powerful and often emotional moment that is the culmination of vision, passion, anticipation and painstaking work. If there has been clear and regular communication along the way between the artist and the client then both parties will be pleased with the result. It is a memorable and rewarding experience to take part in the creation of a unique piece of original artwork.
Elena Parashko’s artwork can be viewed online at www.elenaparashko.com and she can be contacted to custom design artwork on 0404 032 785
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